This isn’t really about labels. Labels are just the visible part. Product labels tell you the important things. The part that says, publicly and without apology: This product carries risk. For years, blinded by alcohol culture, I smoothed over information. Even as a cancer survivor, I smoothed over the cancer warnings. I’d see headlines saying…
Month: July 2026
She Found Him Passed Out Behind the Beer Store
After my son was found passed out behind a beer store, I found myself thinking about a social media comment that blamed parents for alcohol use disorder. The reality is far more complicated. Genetics, ADHD, emotional pain, life experiences, alcohol itself, and countless other factors shape vulnerability to addiction. This is a reflection on relapse, grief, and why blame rarely helps anyone.
While It Was Still Hopeful
Just when I start to believe everything might be OK, I find evidence suggesting I should have waited a little longer. Living with a loved one’s AUD means learning to navigate the space between hope and fear, while imagining a future where alcohol is no longer woven into every social expectation.
Did YOU know?
There’s usually a lot to unpack in a product label. Sometimes, such as when the product is a drug or supplement, there isn’t enough room on the label to list all the side effects and interactions so it spills over into a little pamphlet with tiny writing that you have to magnify to understand. Alcohol,…